Electric switch



G. L. FALK ELECTRIC SWITCH April 5, 1949.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 30, 1944 INVENTOR. wrgeLFaZZs.

April 5, 1949. G. L. FALK ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Nov. 50, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2- if; INVENTbR. @2 geL.FaZZ@ ymml WW Patented Apr. 5, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC SWITCH George L. Falk, Brockton, Mass.

Application November 30, 1944, Serial No. 565,862

9 Claims. 1

My invention relates to electric switches.

The invention, which has among its objects a switch of improved construction, and particularly one in which the operating parts may be readily removed and replaced, will be best understood from the following description of a specific example of the invention selected for illustrative purposes, while the scope of the invention will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a wall type switch according to the invention in assembled relation with a wall;

Figs. 2 and 3 are sections on the lines 22 and 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 6-4 of Fig. 3;

Figs. 5 and 6 are sections on the lines 5-5 and 6-6 of Fig. 1, the section line 66 also being applied to Fig. 3 for convenience in following the drawings;

Fig. '7 is a section on the line 'l'l of Fig. 2 with parts in elevation and parts omitted;

Fig. 8 is a plan of the movable contact carrying member of the switch according to Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the member according to Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a bottom View of the member according to Figs. 8 and 9;

Fig. 11 is a more or less diagrammatic development of the cam groove of the member according to Figs. 8, 9 and 10; and

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary section on the line Il -I2 of Fig. 3 showing the position of parts when the switch is in open circuit condition.

The switch illustrated by the drawings comprises a cylindrical part or body l of insulating material, which body is axially formed with a cylindrical recess 3 opening on the body at one end thereof, the recess adjacent that end having the diametrically opposed longitudinally extending slots 5. Extending radially into the recess 3 from diametrically opposite sides of the body I are switch terminal contacts I, the latter being molded into said body and resting against the bottom wall of said recess. As shown, terminal screws 9 are provided for connecting to these contacts the conductor wires of the circuit to be controlled by the switch.

As illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, the material of the part or body I is so molded as to form integrally with the bottom and side walls of the recess 3 angularly spaced lugs l3. These lugs form at the bottom of the recess a cruciform-like depression having the arms l5, in an opposite pair of which arms lie those portions of the terminal contact 1 which are within the recess.

The part or body I is shown as provided with means for securing it to a support. As illustrated, this support takes the form of a wall comprising the usual lathing l1 and plaster l9, an opening being formed in the plaster and lathing for reception of the usual switch box 2| having the so-called knock out holes 23 for entering the wiring into the switch box. In the form of the invention illustrated the body I is provided with oppositely extending metallic flanges 25, each provided with an opening 21 through which a screw 29 may be passed for securing the flange and the switch box to the lathing of the wall, and each of which also is provided with a screwthreaded hole 3| for receiving the screws 33 for securing the escutcheon plate 35 to the wall for covering the opening therein which receives the switch and switch box. The flanges 25 are shown as an integral part of a member comprising a ring 31, to which latter the flanges are connected by the portions 39 integral with both the ring and the flanges, the ring and these portions 39 being molded into the body I.

As illustrated, inserted in the recess 3 of the part or body I through the outer end of said recess is a tubular member M preferably formed of the same material as said body. This member, as shown, has a portion projecting from said recess, the outer end of that portion being provided with a radially projecting circumferential flange 43 resting against the escutcheon plate 35. For releasably securing the member 4| in the recess a pair of metallic spring clips 45 are provided, which clips are positioned in the slots 5. The base portions 47 of the clips are riveted to the ring 31 by the rivets 49 prior to molding the body I about the member comprising the ring. As illustrated, the member M is formed at diametrically opposite sides thereof with notches 5| providing upwardly facing shoulders 53, the outwardly facing surfaces of the notches being semispherically recessed at 55. The upper free ends of the clips are correspondingly formed to provide downwardly facing shoulders 57 for enga ing the upwardly facing shoulders 53 of the notches, and are further formed to provide semispherical projections 59 for reception by the recesses 55. By this construction the clips when engaged with the notches will effectively restrain the member 4| against withdrawal from the recess 3, and likewise against rotation relative to the body I.

As clearly illustrated in Fig. 1, the upper portions of the clips 45, which portions have the projections 59, are bent at an angle so that when the member i! is inserted in the recess 3 the clips will be spread apart by the advancing end of the member ii and will snap into the notches when the upper ends of the clips are brought into registry therewith. Bringing them into such registry normally will necessitate rotating the member 4| relative to the body 5 upon the flange 43 being brought into contact with the outer side of the escutcheon plate 35, said flange affording convenient means for enabling the member 4! to be gripped for effecting such rotation. As shown in Fig. 2, the face of the upper portion of each clip which faces the notch 5! is convex so as to provide surfaces 6| which will cam the clip out of the associated notch when the member 4| is rotated relative to the body I, thus enabling the member M to be withdrawn from said body.

As illustrated, reciprocally and rotatably mounted in the cylindrical bore 53 of the member 4| is a cylindrical member 65 preferably formed of the same insulating material as the part or body i and the member M. As shown, the member 65 has molded into it a metal contact bar 67, the ends of which bar are adapted to rest upon the terminal contacts I for establishing electrical communication between them. The member 65 when raised vertically, as viewed in Fig. 1, will lift the bar 61 out of contact with the terminal contact, mechanism being provided for causing the vertical reciprocation of said member to rotate it through ninety degrees so that the contact bar will be out of contact with said terminal contacts when the member 65 returns to the bottom of the recess 3.

As will be obvious from Figs. 1, 3, 6 and 12, the contact bar 67 when resting upon the terminal contacts I will have its opposite ends positioned in a pair of oppositely disposed a'r-ms Q5 of the cruciform-like depression at the bottom of the recess 3, and, when it is at the bottom of said recess and out of contact with said terminal contacts, will have its opposite ends positioned in that pair of oppositely disposed arms l5 which is in quartering relation to the pair first mentioned. As illustrated, all portions of the bar E? are covered by the material of the member 65 except the extreme ends of the bar and the lower surface portions adjacent said ends. For this purpose the member 65 has formed integrally with its bottom surface downwardly projecting flanges 59 at opposite sides of the bar, these flanges at the center portion of the bar being bridged by a portion "ll integral with the lower edges of the flanges. The bar and flanges 69 project beyond the periphery of the member 55 and are there bridged at the upper side of the bar by a portion 13 integral with the body of the member 55 and the flanges 69 thereof. When the bar is in open circuit position, as shown by Fig. 12, the bridge portion ll and flanges 69 afford dielectric material between the bar and terminal contacts I for preventing arcing, it being understood that otherwise, especially when the parts are relatively small, arcing i, to form an eye 9! would be liable to occur, in which connection it is mentioned that in practice the body of the member may for some applications have an outside diameter as small as about one-half inch, or even less, with the other parts similarly proportioned. When the parts are in their position shown by Fig. 12 the bottom of the member 5 rests upon the upper surfaces of the lugs 13 and these lugs provide further dielectric material for preventing arcing between the terminal contacts by way of the bar.

Molded into the lower portion of the member 65 so as to be rigidly secured thereto is a shank '55. Surroundin the upper end of the shank is a collar H slidably mounted in the upper reduced diameter bore 19 of the member 3!. As illustrated (see Figs. 1 and 5), the upper end 8| of the shank is squared, and over that end fits a stirrup B3. A pin 85, which extends through the collar il, the stirrup and end 3! of the shank, acts to secure the three in assembled relation. Swivelly secured to the upper end of the stirrup is a connecting member comprising a wire-like shank 6'5 rotatably threaded through a hole in the stirrup, a head 88 on this shank retaining the parts in assembled relation, while a washer B9 on the shank is positioned between this head and the stirrup to facilitate proper swivelling action. As shown, the upper end of the shank 8'! is bent Loosely extending through this eye the similar eye portion 8! 01 a member 52, the latter having an upper eye 83 rigidly molded into a manually actuated switch operating part or member. This last mentioned part or member comprises the handle portion formed integrally with a conical base 51?, the latter having a beaded circumferential lip 99 of arcuate cross-section fitted into a circular groove Hi I on the outer face of the flange 53, which groove is of semi-circular cross-section. With the parts in their position illustrated by Fig. 1 tilting of the hanche Q5 in any direction will raise the member 55 vertically. For urging the member 65 toward its position shown by Fig. 1 the shank is surrounded by a helical compression spring I93 under initial compression, which spring bears at its lower end against the member 655 and at its upper end against a washer I95 resting against a shoulder I87 formed interiorly of the member 45.

For causing rotation of the member 65 when it is reciprocated by operation of the handle 95 and spring IE3 the outer cylindrical surface of the member -65 is formed with a cam groove, with which latter cooperate lugs or cam followers carried by the member ll. As shown, four of these lugs are provided, the same conveniently being in the form of metal balls I39 received in semi-spherical recesses l H formed in quartering relation in the interior cylindrical wall of the bore 63 of the member ll. The groove, indicated in its entirety :by the reference numeral H3, as best illustrated in Figs. 8, 9 and 11, has its lower side wall formed to present the inclined cam surfaces H5 and its upper side wall formed to present the oppositely inclined cam surfaces 1 ii, the upper surfaces i ii being formed adjacent their upper ends to provide pockets M9 for normally receiving the balls Elli as diagrammatically illustrated at 39 and 589 in Fig. 11, such reception of the balls acting accurately to position the bar 57 relative to the terminal contacts when the switch is in open and closed circuit conditions.

Assuming the parts are in their relative positions illustrated by Fig. 1, in which position the ball 99 will be in the position Hi9 (Fig. 11),

and the handle 95 is tilted in any direction to raise the member 65, the surface H5 below the ball will be moved into contact with it after the circuit is broken, the ball then being in the position indicated diagrammatically at I09 (Fig. 11) Continued upward movement of the member 65 will cause the latter to rotate in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 11 until the ball W9 is in the position HIW relative to the member 65. Release of the handle with the ball in this last mentioned position will permit the spring 103 to move the member 65 downward, and this downward movement will cause the surface II! to contact with the ball when in the position relative thereto indicated at Ice Continued downward motion caused by the spring will cause continued rotation of the member 65 in the same direction as before by reason of the cam effect of the surface ill on the ball, and, when the ball reaches such position relative to the surface II! that it is at the upper end of said surface, the ball will snap into the adjacent pocket H9, the latter corresponding to normal open circuit position of the switch. A second operation of the handle 95 will again cause the member 65 to be reciprocated, and to be rotated in the same direction as before, to place the switch in closed circuit position. It will be observed that the operation described causes the circuit to be broken and established by reason of non-rotative upward and downward movements of the bar fil, the rotative movement of the bar wholly occurring when the circuit is broken. As shown, four balls I05 are provided in quartering relation to secure a balanced action, the groove being so shaped that each ball acts in the same way.

For assembling the parts the groove H3 is shown as provided with laterally extending portions l2! opening on the upper end of the member 65. To assemble the parts the balls I89 may be retained in the recesses ill by coating them with petroleum jelly or the like, and the member 65 may then be inserted in the bore 63 from the lower end of the latter to cause said balls to enter the groove extensions H2]. The curved portions 123 of these extensions will cause the member 65 to rotate relative to the member 45 to bring the balls into the body portion of the groove I I3, after which the groove extensions iZl perform no further function. Ihe eye 98 may be left open until the parts are assembled in this way, after which it may be caused to engage with the similar eye 9| of the member 92 with the handle 95 in tilted position and then may be bent to close it.

It will be understood that although a wall type switch has been selected for purposes of illustration the invention is not limited to such type of switch.

I claim:

1. A switch having, in combination, a part formed with a recess having cylindrical wall portions and an open end, which part carries contacts positioned within said recess transversely thereof; conductive means in said recess for establishing and interrupting electrical communication between said contacts; a first member within said recess carrying said conductive means; a second member within said recess carrying said first member and on one end portion of which said first member is cylindrically sleeved, said second member being adapted to be inserted in said recess through its said open end and rotatably and reciprocally fitting said cylindrical wall portions; means resiliently urging said first member axially in such direction relative to said second member as to cause said conductive means to contact with said contacts; means carried by said second member for moving said first member axially in the opposite direction relative to said second member, which means comprises a manually actuated part carried by said second member at the opposite end portion thereof; the cylindrical side of one of said members facing the cylindrical side of the other being formed with a cam groove, while said side of said other operatively carries a lug received by said groove, said groove being so shaped as to cause rotation of said first member through part of a revolution in the same direction for each successive reciprocation of said first member relative to said second member; and means for removably fixedly securing said second member within said recess with the end portion thereof which carries said manually actuated part at the exterior of said recess, which means is adapted to be actuated into engaged and disengaged positions by rotation of said second member while within said recess.

2. A switch having, in combination, a part of insulating material formed with spaced open top depressions, a first contact positioned in one of said depressions entirely below and in spaced relation to the top thereof, a second contact, a second part carrying said second contact, said second part being mounted for such movement relative to the first mentioned part as to insert said second contact in said depression in Which said first contact is positioned for making contact with the latter and for withdrawing said second contact from said depression and placing it in another of said depressions, and means for so moving said second part.

3. A switch having, in combination, a part of insulating material formed with open top depressions angularly spaced about an axial line, the sides of said depressions facing said line also being open, a pair of contacts severally positioned in non-adjacent depressions entirely below and in spaced relation to the tops of said depressions, a bar-like conductor adapted to bridge said contacts, a member carrying said conductor, said member being mounted for reciprocative and rotative movements relative to said part for placing the ends of said conductor into said depressions in which said contacts are positioned through the tops of said depressions with the bar extending from said depressions through the open sides thereof facing said axial line, and for moving said bar from the last mentioned depressions and in like manner placing its ends in depressions intermediate said last mentioned depressions.

4. A switch having, in combination, a member having a cylindrical recess; a cylindrical member coaxially received in said cylindrical recess for axial rotation and reciprocation; a spring within said recess for urging said cylindrical member in one direction axially relative to said recess; mannally operable means for moving said cylindrical member in the opposite direction against the resistance of said spring; a pair of stationary contacts in diametrically opposite relation with respect to the common axis of said recess and cylindrical member; conductive means carried by said cylindrical member for placing said contacts in and out of electrical communication by reciprocation and rotation of said cylindrical member; a circumferential groove formed in the cylindrical surface of one of said members; a lug of less width than said groove carried by the other iofsaid members and projecting into said groove;

the opposite walls of said groove being formed to present cams cooperating with said lug, said cams being so shaped that those at one side of said groove cause said cylindrical member to rotate through part of a revolution when said cylindrical member is moved in one direction by said manually operable means against the resistance of said spring, while those at the opposite side of said groove cause said cylindrical member to rotate through part of a revolution in the same direction when said manually operable means is released to permit said spring to move said cylindrical member in the opposite direction, two consecutive reciprocations of said cylindrical memmer so caused placing it in the same angular position, whereby by one reciprocation of said cylindrical member said switch may be placed out of closed circuit condition into open circuit condition and be placed again in closed circuit condition by the next consecutive reciprocation.

5. A switch having, in combination, a first member having a cylindrical recess; a cylindrical member coaxially received in said cylindrical recess for axial rotation and reciprocation and projecting from one end of said first member; a spring within said recess for urging said cylindrical member outwardly of said recess; manually operable means carried, by said first member for drawing said second member inwardly of said recess against the resistance of said spring;

a support for said members; a pair of contacts carried by said support in diametrically opposite relation with respect to the common axis of said recess and cylindrical member; conductive means carried by the projecting portion of said cylindrical member for placing said contacts in and out of electrical communication by reciprocation and rotation of said cylindrical member; a. ciroumferential groove formed in the cylindrical surface of one of said members; a lug of less width than said groove carried by the other of said members and projecting into said groove; the opposite walls of said groove being formed to present cams cooperating with said lug, said cams being so shaped that those at one side of said groove cause said cylindrical member to rotate through part of a revolution when said cylindrical member is drawn inwardly of said recess by said manually operable means against the resistance of said spring, while those at the opposite side of said groove cause said cylindrical member to rotate through another part of a revolution in the same direction when said manually operable means is released to permit said spring to move said cylindrical member outwardly of said recess, two consecutive reciprocations of said cylindrical member so caused placing it in the same angular position, whereby by one reciprocation of said cylindrical member said switch may be placed out of closed circuit condition into open circuit condition and be placed again in closed circuit condition by the next consecutive reciprocation.

6. A switch having, in combination, a supporting member formed with a recess having an open end, spaced contacts carried by said supporting member within said recess, a tubular member re- .movably inserted in said recess through its said open end and fitting the walls of said recess, which tubular member has a cylindrical bore, a movable exteriorly cylindrical member reciprocally and rotatably mounted on the walls of said bore, conductive means carried by said movable member for establishing and interrupting electrical communication between said contacts, manually operable means carried by said tubular member at the exterior of said supporting member for reciprocating said movable member, and means for rotating said movable member in said bore when said movable member is reciprocated therein comprising a relatively Wide circumferentially extending groove formed in one of the facing cylindrical surfaces of said bore and movable member and a lug projecting from the other received in said groove, which lug is of less Width than said groove, one of the sides of said groove being so shaped as to so act on said lug as to Cause, on one stroke of each reciprocation of said movable member, rotation of the latter in one direction, and, the other side being so shaped as to so act on said lug as to cause, on the opposite stroke, rotation of said movable member in the same direction.

'7. A switch according to claim 6 in which one side of the groove is formed with offset pocket portions for receiving the lug for restraining the movable member against rotation when said member is in both its circuit closing position and circuit interrupting position,

8. A switch having, in combination, a part formed with a recess having an open end; angularly spaced switch terminal contacts carried by said part within said recess; a first member adapted to be removably inserted in said recess through its said open end in lateral slidable relation to the walls of said recess, and, when so inserted, to have a portion thereof projecting from said recess at said open end; means within said recess for releasably non-movably securing said first member to said part in predetermined angular relation thereto operated into engaged and released positions by manually actuated movement of said first member relative to said part when said first member is so inserted in said recess; a second member reciprocally and rotatably mounted on said first member as a unit therewith carrying conductive means for establishing and interrupting communication between said terminal contacts; and mechanism for operating said sec ond member comprising a manually operated actuating member carried solely by said projecting portion of said first member as a unit with the latter and said second member.

9. A switch having, in combination, a part formed with a cylindrical recess having an open end; angularly spaced switch terminal contacts carried by said part within said recess; a first member having an eXteriorly cylindrical portion adapted rotatably to fit said cylindrical recess and to be removably inserted therein through its said open end, and, when so inserted, to have an end portion thereof projecting from said recess at said open end; means within said recess for releasably non--movably securing said first member to said part in predetermined angular relation thereto adapted to be operated into engaged and released positions by rotation of said first member in said recess when so inserted therein; said first member being formed with a recess having an open end at its end portion opposite the first mentioned end portion thereof; a second member movably received within said recess of said first member and having a portion thereof projecting from said recess at its said open end; conductive means carried by such projecting portion of said second member for establishing and interrupting communication between said terminal contacts in response to such movement of said second member; a manually operated actuating member for said second member carried solely by said projecting portion of said first member; and a connection between said second member and. said actuating member extending through said first member; said second member, actuating member, and connection being assembled and retained as a unit with said first member.

GEORGE L. FALK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number Catron et a1. -1 Dec. 3, 1940 

